The healing power of forests

In forest therapy, people are taken into the woods and taught to use what they see, hear and smell to calm their minds. This kind of therapy has its roots in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing”, which was developed in the 1980s.

Presenter Myra Anub is joined by Gary Evans, founder of the Forest Bathing Institute, to experience some of the relaxation techniques of forest bathing. We also hear how forests are helping people recover from depression and addiction in Hong Kong and Costa Rica, and look into the scientific evidence for its effectiveness.

Reporter: Carla Rosch
Producer: William Kremer

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Image: A woman in a forest (Getty Images)